Snow Mountain Robin Petroica archboldi Scientific name definitions

14 cm. Male has crown and hindneck dark slate with reddish-pink tinge, side of head slate-grey, feathers at base of culmen and lores black, small white forehead patch; upperparts dark slate-grey, rump slightly paler; upperwing black, secondaries narrowly edged greyish on distal half of outer web, inner primaries and outer secondaries with white patch on inner web about third of distance from base (forming stripe on underwing); tail black, rectrices with basal half of outer web and distal half of inner web white, outermost feather with large white tip, adjacent two pairs narrowly tipped white; chin and throat slate-coloured, tinged with reddish-pink, breast slate, centre with bright red spot, merging to grey on flanks, belly greyish-white, undertail-coverts white, thighs slate; iris dark brown; bill and legs black. Female is similar to male but slightly smaller and paler, with red of breast paler. Immature is tinged brownish, lacks red breast patch.

Mt Wilhelmina and Mt Carstensz (in Oranje Mts), in C New Guinea.

Edge of bare rock slopes and cliffs, and among boulders on talus slopes; also in valleys among rocky tundra or alpine heaths. Occurs above timber-line, above c. 3850 m.

Sedentary.

Insects. Largely terrestrial, feeding among rocks. Sits on rock while scanning surroundings; pounces on prey, and returns to perch.

Song a wide range of notes resembling sound of “drops of water” and like some of the sounds made by parrots (Psittaciformes). Also loud “chip” calls and harsh scolding notes  .

Adult feeding fledgling in Sept, and extensive singing (suggestive of breeding) in Dec–Feb. No other information.

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Data Deficient. Restricted-range species: present in Central Papuan Mountains EBA. Originally reported as common within very small range; recent reports, however, are very limited, perhaps more a reflection of difficulty of visiting this remote location. No global population estimate and no data on trends. Local mining operations have been suggested as possibly having deleterious effects on this species. Global warming, which has melted the ice-cap on Mt Trikora in the last few decades, may also be a problem. However, there is insufficient information at present on its range, population and threats to permit a robust assessment of its risk of extinction; it is therefore considered Data Deficient. Targeted surveys are urgently needed.